Details of Disappearance
Cabugos spoke to his fiancee on the phone at approximately 4:00 p.m. on October 25, 2000 in Santa Barbara, California. He told her he was on his way home at the time. She became concerned when he had not returned to his residence by 10:00 p.m. that evening. Cabugos's vehicle was discovered abandoned in the parking lot of Santa Monica Harbor near Leadbetter Beach during the following afternoon. There was no sign of him at the scene. A witness told authorities he saw a man fitting Cabugos's description exit the vehicle during the early evening hours of October 25. The witness stated that Cabugos removed a kayak from the car and headed down to Leadbetter Beach. Authorities initiated a search of the area on October 26 and located Cabugos's overturned kayak floating in the waters near Goleta Beach later in the day. family members told investigators that Cabugos often went kayaking near Leadbetter Beach at sunset. The search was halted after additional evidence could not be located. Authorities believe that Cabugos may have drowned after a mishap in the water. He has never been located.